What is PHD about?

last SG · 2007-01-12T15:52:02+00:00

An internship is a good idea if you do not know where to proceed. Don't care about what your friends say. Academia is nothing without work experience. I wor...

MingFreeman SG

I am a final year student in NTU and my prof has offered a PHD position. It is very surprising because my grades are not good and i am definitely not a top student.

The PHD will be tentatively 3 years, depending on research output.

I have a few questions on this matter.

Basically, is PHD only about research? Will there be subjects to study or exams to take?

Will I be able to graduate this july and continue on as a postgrad or is graduation delayed?

What happens if there is no satisfactory discovery or output after 3 years?

And lastly, I plan to work outside and not permanently be a researcher in academic circles. Will a PHD be useful?

Neutral

mhcampboy SG

You will be bestowed a title "doctor". Isnt tat cool? Mr. Green

hisoka SG

phd= permanent head dmg.

i think in ntu there should be modules but won't be like undergrad so many.

if you going to work outside, depends on what you want to do. if i'm not wrong if you go private sector jobs which don't need the phd at all, you might be penalised int he selection because you are over-qualified

you will still get your degree this july/june. phd is postgrad.

erm if i not wrong the phd is dependent on publishing a certain numebr of papers and the supervisor's approval.

cyrusv SG

permanent head damage is the correct acronym

Cystaire SG

Think very carefully about your decision. Laughing

MingFreeman SG

Got overqualified one ah Neutral

My plan is to either work as a programmer in the game industry or be a software developer for some company e.g bank or ST electronics or work in the civil/govt sector. Will the phd be helpful in securing these jobs?

The phd is about research on data mining.

And also, if the minimum numbers of papers are not met, what happens?

mrsmall SG

PhD = Philosophie Doctor

final became Permanent Head Damage

due to Piles Header and Deeper into subjects

Laughing

hisoka SG

erm not sure if it will be helpful for the bank, but i think govt it will give you higher starting pay Laughing

if not met then extend lor. or maybe convert to masters

Cystaire SG

In your industry a PhD is not that critical.

Unless you have strong reasons to pursue it.

Three years of PhD training is three years not building on your career progression.

To graduate with PhD the most important thing is to fulfill your thesis requirements, not publish n number of papers.

MingFreeman SG

fulfill thesis requirements means have to come up with ideas or theories ah?

Phoebie SG

I agree.

Cystaire SG

Not sure if it is exactly the same in computing, but should be fairly similar.

In science you have to discuss with supervisor to write a thesis proposal.

Thesis proposal = background of research area, your specific research interest (may need a hypothesis), techniques, current results and future plans/timeline of experiments.

After you submit your proposal you have about 2 years to fulfill the plan. Along the way you are expected to publish a few peer-review papers.

When your data collection is complete, time to write-up your thesis.

Icemoon SG

Grades don't need too good.

2nd upper can qualify for phd scholarship.

but whether you can get it and in how many years is another.

Infantile SG

for poly students..
phd = poly halfway dropout

Icemoon SG

Over qualified.

If you want to go into gaming, I thought NTU has their research on gaming? Maybe even linked with LucasArt, EA and rest of industry.

Data mining like not very related to gaming.

Won't you want to spend your three years pursuing some positions in the gaming industry? They might even sponsor you for higher studies.

hisoka SG

actually i mentioned publish papers cos in some unis its the requirement or part of the requirements to publish a certain number of papers. in germany its 12 or something i i remember correctly

Cystaire SG

X2

A good point here. Very Happy

matrixeg SG

If you complete your thesis and obtain a doctrate, people will treat you with respect and your pay will be damn good, instead of Mr XXX, people will refer you as Dr XXX. You can also work at the university as a professor. Now, wouldn't that be nice? Very Happy

Cystaire SG

Possible. Smile

Cystaire SG

Originally posted by matrixeg:
If you complete your thesis and obtain a doctrate, people will treat you with respect and your pay will be damn good, instead of Mr XXX, people will refer you as Dr XXX. You can also work at the university as a professor. Now, wouldn't that be nice? Very Happy

Crying or Very sad

Wish that were true.

People don't respect PhDs. They worship doctors and lawyers.